OLYMPICS security guards tackled an over-excited spectator into a hedge while a Woking grandad serenely carried the flame on only its third leg.

The torch landed in England last Saturday (May 19) to begin its 8,000-mile trip and Eric Smith, of Mayford, was at Land’s End to help set it on its way.

But it was not quite plain sailing for Mr Smith after a man broke ranks from the cheering crowd and started running alongside the 76-year-old, snapping away on his camera.

The plain clothes officers running beside Mr Smith up the hill quickly reacted and decided the man was too close for comfort and bundled him into a bush.

He said: “A member of the public got a bit too enthusiastic and was dogging my steps with a camera. The police had a security team in tracksuits running behind me. The man was too close they decided, and they removed him forcibly.

“They just rugby-tackled him and put him in a hedge. He could have been carrying a weapon for all they knew. It didn’t ruin the day though.”

Mr Smith, supported by wife Jean, was delighted to be part of such an occasion but said he almost gave up the opportunity to be at a grandson’s wedding.

He was originally due to carry the torch in Guildford, but was going to turn it down in favour of the family nuptials.

However his son, a former RAF squadron leader who nominated his father for his community involvement in the air cadets, got in touch with the Olympic torch committee and Mr Smith was moved to the coast on another day.

And it was no accident that he ended up at Land’s End as the historic moment marked the 50th anniversary since Mr Smith rescued two French fishermen from a wrecked trawler and was awarded the George medal.

Stationed in Barnstaple in November 1962 with the 22nd RAF Squadron, his helicopter was called to rescue a boat, the Jeanne Gougy, which had run aground.

He said: “A trawler crashed into the rocks at the bottom of a 400-foot cliff, 12 out of the 18 crew died. I managed to pull two out before it was fully wrecked and I pulled three bodies out of the sea.”

Mr Smith lived in Woking after leaving the RAF in the late 1960s and has been actively involved in the air cadets. He is a former chairman of the Woking branch of the Aircrew Association as well as running Aero Engraving in Knaphill until five years ago.

He was glad he got the chance to carry the torch, despite the shock at learning his son had successfully nominated him.

Mr Smith added: “It was a great celebration and a great day. It was a big national event and you could sense it was with the crowd. It was great fun.”